Teapot Racing

For the first time ever, Teapot Racing is coming to the Coffee & Tea Festival!

What is Teapot Racing? It’s a popular contest in the steampunk community in which contestants race vehicles that consist of a teapot, mounted upon a radio-controlled chassis. Contestants most commonly use hobby or toy shop radio-controlled (RC) cars for the base vehicle and then modify, titivate, or accessorize as they wish. Vehicles cannot exceed 30cm in height, 30cm in width or 40cm in length (including any flags, aerials, etc.). Vehicles exceeding these measurements can still race but may have point deductions and difficulty navigating certain obstacles.

Racing takes place on a pre-designed course that is laid out according to the whim of the judges and emcees of the race. The course often includes hazards, ramps, tunnels, jumps and other such obstacles of breakable nature or heightened difficulty.

Racers negotiate the course as specified by the judges, one vehicle at a time within an allotted time; and earn points based on various criteria such as overall look of the vehicle, how obstacles are negotiated, completion of the course, showmanship, etc. Points may also be deducted for manual assistance, failure to complete an obstacle, exceeding time, etc.

Prizes are then awarded at the judge’s discretion in various categories.

At the Coffee & Tea Festival, a Teapot Racing Course will be set-up for attendees to learn about teapot racing and see racers in action. There will be several loaner racing vehicles for attendees to try navigating the course with, as well. If you have a racer, or wish to make one, you are welcome to bring it to the festival with you.

Since this demonstration is not an officially sanctioned teapot racing event, there will not be prizes in various categories. Instead, racers will earn points and the judge will keep track of the points and times of each racer. The racer who earned the most points with the best time (at the end of racing each day of the Coffee & Tea Festival: Valley Forge), will win a prize basket, certificate and bragging rights!

Racing will take place Saturday (12/14) between 2:30pm-5:00pm and Sunday (12/15) between 11:00am-2:00pm.

Special thanks to Joe Kennedy for coordinating and judging the Teapot Races at the Coffee & Tea Festival.

We hope to have you race with us!